C-Rhonda Tri

IM FLORIDA 11-5-11

2011-11-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

As the sun is rising, I am standing with my toes in the cold sand waiting for the cannon to explode so I can begin my Ironman adventure. Everyone says you should be nervous at this moment. I checked myself and realized I felt excitement and not nervousness, thankfully. I think my mind and body was well prepared and that I knew I was up for the challenge of what the day had to give me. As I headed into the calm water, I was amazed at how quickly I got into a rhythm. I got kicked in the face at the turn buoy, but other than that is was an enjoyable swim. The jelly fish kept to themselves!

Swim: 1:32:12

T1: 13:47 long transition time but I'm not sure what I expected. Everything went as planned.

It was exciting having my bike handed to me! I clipped in and headed out where the wind immediatlly hit me. So many people around me did not appear to be confident on the bike. I finally found a guy that was passing people at a good pace so i fell in behind him and stayed there for 35 miles....hence, the drafing penalty at mile 25 for me! I did 4 minutes in the penatly tent, layed in the grass and got burrs all over me! The nice guys there picked them off of me (they didn't seem to mind very much) lol Later I realized they missed one under my tri belt & it flet like a pin sticking me...ouch! In retrospect, that was the worst pain of the day so I'm good with that! At some point, a line from a song entered my head. I kept hearing "I hope you had the time of your life".... over & over & over for miles & miles! I could not remember the artist or any other parts of the song. I stopped once to pee, probably around mile 50, and then again at the halfway point for my special needs bag. So ,with the song in my head and the wind all around me, I pedalled my heart out trying to make sure I saved enough for the run. I unclipped safely and noticed that my legs felt good. Okay, so my dismount wasn't anything special....will work on that!

Bike 6:35:13

T2: 5:42 much better T time...guess I was ready to run :)

I felt great off the bike, which surprised me. I got into a nice easy pace and at mile one my calves both cramped. Never have I had this problem. Didn't want to overthink it, so I ate a banana, drank gatorade, and took enduralytes (more on nutrition later) I , also, stretched my calves for a minute; which I should have done in transition. The cramps only lasted a mile or so and I never had problems with my legs again. I walked most water stops, stopped at porta potty a few times, bandaged one small blister on my toe; otherwise a pretty uneventful marathon. (thank goodness). The thought did occur to me at mile 17 of the run that I was going to have a flat on my bike! I was releived to realize I didn't have to worry about my bike any longer. That was a sign it was almost time to start drinking Coke!

Run: 4:36:03 2:17/2:20 splits- very pleased with my consistency

Nutrition:
My nutrition was what kept me feeling good the entire day. I really listened to my body and did what was needed at the moment.

Breakfast: bagel w/ peanut butter, coffee, banana, Ensure+, power bars, gatorade, sips of water constantly,

Before swim: about 30 minutes b4 swim Ensure+, 2 enduralytes

T1: water & enduralytes, pb & honey uncrustable, Ensure+

Bike: nutter butters, fig newtons, bars, uncrustables, gummie fruits all broken up in bento box. I ate a couple bites of something EVERY 5 miles. I had Hammer Perpetuem mixed with gatorade in my bike bottle which I sipped in between bites. I got water at every10 mile aid station for my aerobottle and made sure I drank it all every time! I took enduralytes or salt tabs EVERY hour. I drank another Ensure+ at the special needs stop which I had frozen in my special needs bag. Perfect! I ate 2 gels during the bike, mile 35 and 95.

T2: Another Ensure+, water & enduralytes

Run: banana at mile one, enduralytes & water every hour, alternated water & gatorade at every water stop, 4 gels during the run, 6. 12, 17, 22, starting at mile 20, I had coke & water at every water stop. No other food on the run except for the first banana.

After the race, finally sat down at the bar & consumed a burger & fries!

Recovery: I was surprised at how well I felt, I was more sore after my first marathon. I ran easy & biked just a few days after. I really didn't stop completely until day 9, I got a cold/virus/ bronchitis with some nasty fever blisters. I guess my body was yelling at me to stop. Well, I've stopped for a week but I'll be back out there after Thanksgiving!

PS I could not be an IRONMAN without my family and friends who have made this adventure possible. Thanks to ALL of you!

;';';';';''''''''''''';

TAPER

2011-10-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

I've always heard that taper is hard, and now that I'm in the middle of it, I understand perfectly. It's not physically hard, because for the first time in months, I am doing shorter workouts which leaves more free time on my hands. That free time is what is hard mentally, my mind is very restless. I am so wired I can't seem to relax! The mental focus ,though, is not there for mundane tasks around the house, I only want to think about the race. I really am going to compare this to the excitement & nervousness leading up to my wedding or even the birth of my children. I know you are saying NO WAY. I'm NOT saying it is as important as those monumental days, but I have put forth more time and effort on this ironman journy, than on either my wedding or pregnancy. I guess I'm saying that the focus on every workout is crucial, swimming, biking, runninhg can be dangerous if you lose focus; picking out a wedding dress isn't dangerous and pregnancy pretty much happens without much input from you. For an Ironman, the daily 'choice' to get the appropriate training in is exhausting, not to mention the workout itself.
So here I am with the work done, the packing list started, and my excitement soaring, ready to become an Ironman, Ironwoman, Ironmom...whatever you want to call it, it means 140.6 miles!!!
This week I have been advised to have fun with my workouts! I have swam without counting laps, ran & biked without measuring distance, speed, or pace and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather. I'm hoping to do the same on November 5th and ENJOY MY IRONMAN JOURNEY!!!

Race day 26 days away

2011-10-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Had the longest training weekend of my life this past weekend. A double brick starting from my driveway Saturday morning at 7 am and finishing at 3:30 pm consisting of 50 mile bike, 14 mile run, 30 mile bike, and a 3 mile run. The garage functioned as transition area and aid station with food & fluidst was mid 60 temps at start and low 80's by the end, perfect weather! I felt strong & consistent even on my last run. I showered, rested, and ate until bedtime- which was 8:15 (I was alseep at 8:30). I woke up at 6 and ate waffles and went back to sleep itll 8 and ate cereal. I slept close to 12 hours. Sunday I swam my longest lake swim with a couple of friends & one in a canoe! I wore race wetsuit & goal was to prepare mentally & test fitness. I passed! Swam 2.5 miles in 1:36- goal for Florida is 1:45; feel much more confindent about the swim. Even got to swim with a Kona qualifier from a few years back.....no, I didn't keep up with her! Coaches say I need to take a recovery day today (DONE). I'm blogging, logging workouts on daily mile, eating, and watching inspirational race videos on YouTube! (what a great day)...I need to clean house too but that's beside the point. ha
I had to cut a bike short last week because I just didn't have it. After talking it out with Coach Al, looks like I'm not eating enough at dinner. Not a surprise at all in retrospect. I came home and put together a nutrition schedule/checklist and put alarms in my phone for times to eat and snack! I kow I need fuel but at times it's hard to eat when I'm so tired and have no appetite becasue of fatigue. My plan is to have meals planned ahead of time so they are ready to eat....seems it takes all my energy to feed the family and then I don't eat. ughhh....lesson learned!
I will share race week plans, etc during taper in a few weeks.

September Totals:
Swim 9m   5'48"
Bike 459 m   28'14"
Run   57m     9'46"
Total: 525m   43 hours 49min

36 days to go...

2011-09-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, race day is sneaking up on me! Only a few more weeks of high volume training and then it's taper time- decreasing the volume will be welcome.

August brought a few races for me as well as school schedules for the kids. The kids love their new schools and teachers- Always a plus when you move just for that purpose! My schedule called for a few olympic distance triathlons during late July & early August, but life got in the way of that. Instead I opted for a back to back sprint race which added together equaled close to OLY distance. It was a triathletes weekend dream- Friday was the Sharpshooter "men's only" tri, Saturday was the Annie Oakley "women only" tri, and Sunday was the Showman Shooter tri which was co-ed. If you participated in two you got a special finishers tee-shirt (and a few more calories burned). I did the Annie Oakley on Sat and the Showman shooter on Sunday, to my surprise I won first in my age group BOTH days! woot woot :)
The other race on my schedule in Augsust was the Rocketman Olympic Tri in Huntsville, Alabama. We opted to make a family trip out of this and take the kids to the Space Muesum on Saturday and I would do the race on Sunday. I did the race on tired legs, needless to say, after walking around all day the day before. I had a good race though, 4th in my age group. I was really happy with my bike & run feeling really strong with each of those. My swim was slow, at first I thought wow this feels good- Then I realized it felt good cause I did not push.....It. Was. Slow. I am working on pacing myself in the water.
My B race of the season was Sept 10, Nashvegas 70.3. I needed to use this race to gauge my fitness for my Ironman. It was just the boost that I needed! I cut off 20 minutes of my Cancun 70.3 time to finish 6:21. I had a steady swim, felt really strong on the bike & run to pull out a 1st in my age group! I was really pleased with my bike....especially since it was a hilly course. The song "Run to the Hills" by Iron Maiden rang in my ears during the bike. I felt so good after this race, I was never sore. I took only 2 days off to recover and then starting building again. I did a 50 mile ride the next week and then a 100 mile ride Sat & 15 mile run Sun. Then Tuesday went to the doctor with a cold! Luckily I got a sinus cocktail shot and slept tons. I took 4 days off to rest & hydrate. Saturday after that, I did an easy 32 bike & Sunday an easy 6 mile run. Not the numbers I wanted to post but hey, what are ya gonna do? Lesson Learned. Recover after a race. Now, I am upping my vitamins, antioxidents, veggies, water etc.... It will do me no good to get to the start line if I'm sick. Period. Feeling weak from that cold put a little scare into me. I'm now on the building, resting , & staying healty training plan. As I should have been all along.
My numbers for August:
Swim 15miles; 10 hrs, 14 min
Bike 479 miles; 28 hours, 50 min
Run 58 miles; 9 hours, 23 min

Total August Training: 551 miles; 48 hours, 28 minutes

IM Florida in 95 days.....

2011-08-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

August, really? We were so busy with our move that June and July flew by! Moving a family of 5 is tougher than I imagined. In my mind, I counted some of the move as cross-training workouts! Lots of strength & cardio workouts carrying boxes up & down stairs! :) Two weeks after we moved we went on vacation. Geesh, we really needed it. I did get an opportunity while at the beach to do 3 open water swims which I loved! Also, I did my longest bike to date (82 miles) while on vacation and I did it alone. I picked up a map from the local bike shop and used my gps, it was a good uneventful ride (thank God)!
I was hoping to do an olympic tri a month during June & July, but that didn't happen. I did manage to do a few sprint triathlons and I have some longer races on my calendar.
JUNE:  Dragonfly Tri: I think I did the exact same time as last year within seconds.
Swim: 8m 5hours 56 min
Bike:  311m   18hrs 44 min
Run:    59m    9hrs 47 min
June Totals: 379 miles 34 hours 28 min

JULY: Annie Oakley Super Sprint Tri and Sharpshooter Sprint Tri
           I did "The Challenge" which is both races the same weekend-one Sat & the other Sun.
           I was super excited to get 1st in my age group in both races! Great awards too :)
Swim:   6m   4hrs 8min
Bike:    312m 18hrs 37min
Run:      51m 8hrs 23min
July Totals: 369miles 31hrs 10min

    TRAIN HARD
    LIVE HAPPY

Let the TRAINING begin......

2011-06-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

The clock is counting down and I'm now paying attention to the hours whizzing by and the fact that those hours need to be spent wisely. Eat...Train...Rest...Repeat. This is optimum but my life isn't revolving around my training currently. We are moving our family across town at the end of June (less than 2 weeks) so I have been packing, cleaning, stressing, etc.... my training has suffered but not for long, I will get my mental focus back (I write that for me to believe it).
May brought in a heat wave which was difficult on my body because I was not acclimated to the heat yet. ughhhh...I plan on rereading my facebook posts from last summer to give me inspiration for heat endurace training! I had some hard runs & bikes during May which really brought to light the event that I am undertaking. I am not ready....but I will be....I have 20 weeks to prepare. My base it solid...I am ready to focus on my journey.
Today is Father's Day and I am grateful for having a wonderfully supportive husband who is the best dad ever! He is the reason that makes my Ironman dream possible!
I am blessed to have the best group of friends EVER! You chica's know who you are, you have been there every step of the way! Thank you & love you.
May Races:
Killer Kudzu 5K 24:58 overall female masters winner
Memphis In May Olympic Tri 2:59 - torrential rains, hail, wind, and a longer run than it should have been = Good times! Great venue and course!

Memphis In May

May Training:
SWIM: 6m
BIKE: 288 m
RUN: 60m
May Totals: 354 miles; 34 hours, 2 minutes

TRAIN HARD
LIVE HAPPY

Rain, Rain Go Away.....

2011-05-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Not sure about you, but I'm ready for some May flowers! Rain & chilly weather got in the way of some workouts during April so I had to opt for some gym workouts. The month started with a fun run for Autism. I ran with Cody in this race that started on Beale Street and ran through downtown Memphis by the river. It was a beautiful Friday night and he had a PR at 38:33 which earned him a 2nd place finish in the under 9 age group! Yay Cody (not bad for a 6 year old!)
I rode several organized rides this month to build some miles on the bike. Plus these rides are marked & have SAG's so I don't have to worry about food & drink.

Rachel & I with our hardware!

Ride Into Spring is a ride by RB's Cyclery that is normally the first ride of the season for most people. It was a great day for this ride. I met David Barczak before the ride & rode the Lucky 13 Tri bike route that gave us a total of 60 miles for the day on the bike. I have been running a couple miles off the bike since this ride to help condition my legs & mind for the upcoming Tri season.
Los Locos Duathlon was my first multisport race of the season. It was a hot & windy day but the 'curly girls' were still able to pull out a 3rd place finish in our age groups!
Memphis Hightailers hosted the Charles Finney Ride which turned out to be freezing cold and with what felt like an arctic wind! I managed to do 45 miles while several of my friends opted for a hot breakfast at Craker Barrel.
Memphis Thunder Racing sponsored the Cycle for Safety Ride in honor of Cory Horton.  The out & back ride began at St. George's where Cory coached swimming and ended at his memorial site where the accident happened. It was a beautiful 50 mile course and a great ride.
During April, I also focused on swim and run speed drills to build some power both in the pool and on the track!
April Totals:
SWIM: 9 miles
BIKE:    299 miles
RUN:     68 miles
Total Distance: 375 miles
Total Training Time: 40 hours 23 minutes

"I'm training for an Ironman"

2011-04-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

You Tube video about training for an Ironman says it all.......*note* a couple words of profanity...and, no, Ironman is not a bad word!! LOL

March: Build some bike miles

2011-04-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

We had some warmer days in March which allowed more time outdoors in the saddle. I rode with some of the runners from the "Germantown Thoroughbreds" run group (the multisporters of the run group)! It was nice to ride some different routes and see different faces. My longest rides were St. Patrick's Day ride -55m and a 60m with Al, my bike mentor- which btw, I'm getting much better at drafting (not that it's allowed).
My swims consisted of Tri Swim Clinic at Germantown Athletic Center. Paddles are my new favorite swim gear. I use them for warm up & pulls. They make me focus on the correct way to pull as well as strengthen those muscles.
I had some fun runs during March. I ran the Smile Train 5k with my 6 year old twins, Cody and Zachary. Our time was 40 minutes which took the boys to a first & second place finish in the under 9 category. More important than their hardware was the fact that they really enjoyed running! The annual Breakaway Pub Run on St. Patrick's Day was lots of fun even though I didn't indulge in any beer (green or otherwise). The Germantown Half Marathon was the longest race I've ran since NYC Marathon. My goal was to finish under 2:00 and not push harder than that...no PR goals this year (endurance is the key). My time was 1:58- very pleased with the execution of my plan.
March totals:
Overall Distance: 361 miles
Swim: 10m
Bike: 270m
Run: 81 m
Total Training Time: 39 hours 15 minutes

Happy Birthday Lynell

Month of 10K's

2011-03-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

My Race Award

Ahhh February, winter is in full swing but my eyes are looking ahead to spring. The cold weather didn't permit a lot of outdoor bike time but I was able to keep warm running outdoors. I ran three 10K races each with very differnt courses.
St. Valentine's Day 10K is a fun, hilly course winding through neighborhood. I was 3rd in my age group and missed my PR by just a few seconds.
MRTC WCCS 10K is the last of the cross country series, it was 2.5 loops through Shelby Forest. It's pretty tough seeing the finish line TWICE before you get to cross it!
Move It Memphis 10K is a great downtown course that goes along the Mississippi River and winds through the South Bluffs as well as other senic areas of downtown Memphis. A great finishers party after with seating, a band, and beer! I finished 2nd in my age group.
That's it for races druing February, I've decided to not do very many 5K's this year and spend my entry $$ on some bike rides instead. At this point, my plan is to run two 4 milers a week (one speed intervals/ one fartleks) plus the 12.5 mile Sunday morning group run. That keeps my run miles at 20 per week. I'm sure I'll mix in my favorite races here & there.
The Tri Swim Clinic has started at the gym so I'm back in the pool more consistently. Working on bilateral breathing again this season. It is not natural for me but I'm going to put the work in and hopefully some day it will be.
Working on my strength training plan as well as stretcing and using the foam roller (especially for my IT Band); not to mention my nutrition. These will be main focus areas in March as I build my fitness.
Feb. Total Miles: 304
S-7
B-229
R-68
Feb. Total Training Hours: 36

Bring on 2011

2011-01-31T09:21:00.000-08:00

Stanky Creek 8K-Daniel, Holly, & me

I started the year off with a 5.5 mile run with my local runner's group. We celebrated after with a chilly tailgate party....mulled spiced wine, coffee, and lots of good grub! MRTC (Memphis Runners Track Club) puts on a great WCCS (winter cross-country series) during January & February. It is a great series of races that will get you running/walking back outside and easily build your miles. The distances are 3K, 5K, 8K and 10K. After the 10K, you are ready to continue base training & build from there for race season. Easy peasy :)
Also, in January, was the premier of the running documentary Hood to Coast. After seeing the movie, the seed has been planted and it has been put on my bucket list to do this 197 mile relay from Mt Hood to the Oregon coast. We all need goals!
The remainder of January I've been getting my training plan and my race plans in order. I've been on the bike when the weather has allowed and on my trainer quite a bit doing 'spinervals'. Also, the pool has seen my presence a few times. I'm ready...2011 is in full swing!!
January totals:
212 miles
26 hours 21 minutes

2010 coming to an end...

2010-12-21T22:41:00.000-08:00

My daily facebook posts for December have been "Things I've learned in 2010". My plan is to revisit these posts during my 2011 training when I need encouragement! I've had such a great year this year filled with family, friends, races, travel and wonderful memories. To recap 2010:

Logged 2,800 miles swimming, biking, and running
Trained 355 hours
Joined the "Ring of Honor" at Flying Saucer
Permanetly marked myself as a marathoner (26.2 tattoo)
Took pictures at best locations and highest venues possible
Introduced 'Flat Rhonda' as my race companion
Had the best 'pool rotation' summer ever
Consumed dozens of limes in beer.
Met wonderful and inspiring people through Twitter.
Slept 2,900 hours
Had #coffeecheers daily
Learned to breakdown and put together my bike (thanks to Jay)
Bee sting on eyelid under sunglasses while riding a bike at 18mph.
Jelly fish sting while swimming to say hi to Barnacle Bob.
Accomplished race goals.
Most importantly hugs, kisses, and cuddle time with my boys!
I've raised the bar in 2011 and I am looking forward to the challenge.

Merry Christmas

Thankful for...

2010-11-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I ponder all that I'm thankful for; above all, my husband who is my everything, my kids who give me joy and unconditional love. I am grateful for my extended family and all of their encouragement. I am thankful for my friends who are my chosen family. I am thankful for the community of runners and athletes that give me daily inspiration. I am grateful for the ability to make the most of every moment and every mile. Happy Thanksgiving!!

New York City Marathon 2010

2010-11-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

Crossing the Finish Line

November 7, 2010, a glorious day to see New York as I ran through the streets of the city on the marathon course. As my corral moves to the starting line, I am shivering with excitement and cold. The temps were around 40-50 during the race; perfect temp to run in, but cold and windy at the start and finish. As I write this, I am watching the race on tv. It brings back all the memories of the weekend. My day began at 5:15 with a wake up call (I was afraid my iphone would not update with the time change from the night before- like I didn't have enough to worry about). After getting all my gear together & a sleepy picture, I walked the few blocks to met the Team Autism Speaks bus for the ride to the start with my teammates. Once at the start, I followed the maze to find my corral. We looked like a parade of homeless people shuffling along with our goodwill clothes to donate as we shed our layers. I claimed a piece of grass to relax in for an hour or so till my start time. It felt really nice in the sun, but throughout the day, the shade would be chilly and windy. I found myself seeking the sun to run in during the race.
Finally, my start time has arrived, after waiting in the corral holding area for 30 minutes, we start walking to the start. Several people started running as we headed up the ramp to the Verrazano-Narrows bridge BEFORE we reached the starting line. Not me, I waited till I stepped on the mat to put forth any effort. That first mile was one of the toughest, the wind was brutal, the bridge was steep, and there were no spectators allowed on the bridge. Where were the 2.5 million people that lined the course? After I crossed the bridge, it all changed. People were everywhere....everywhere. New Yorkers are AMAZING. Welcome to Brooklyn was what I heard as I came off the bridge. People yelling & screaming constantly. It was like a finish line for 26.2 miles...really. It was so loud at times my head was hurting a little. Another bridge at mile 13 that took us into Queens for 3 miles. I had to stop a couple times to use the porta potty. My stomach was a little unsettled due to travel, dehydration, lack of sleep, etc...all the things that I should not be doing before a marathon, but I could not resist because I was in the greatest city in the world! After crossing the Queensboro bridge, we entered Manhattan for the first time for miles 17-19. We ran 3 miles along 1st avenue which was packed with spectators and the energy was amazing- even with that, it felt like it was about 10 miles long to me. Mile 20 we entered the Bronx and then Harlem. Mile 21 brought us back into Manhattan and at 22.5 I was in Central Park for the first time in my life. I was in awe of my surroundings.As I crossed the finish line 4:36 hours after I started, I was elated!
Thank you to all the people who supported me through Team Autism Speaks to get me there!

CANCUN 70.3

2010-11-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

Finishing Cancun 70.3 2010

6:40:35

SWIM :51

Absolutely beautiful bay swim, a few big waves and a few fish- did not push myself at all on the swim as you can tell by my time. I totally loved it.

BIKE 3:18
Flat course, windy on way back which decreased my avg speed. My nutrition worked well except I broke up my bars & mixed in baggie w/ sports beans & shot blocks. The heat melted everything together. My hands got really messy & slippery causing me to drop my perpetuem fuel bottle at mile 6 :( I had hammer gel & other stuff so I was fine without it. I will open my bars prerace but leave it all in original packaging next time. Also, I will do more speed work next time on trainer if the course is flat.

RUN 2:18

Very HOT & HUMID run. I walked every water stop & poured water on my head & ran with ice in my hands. It was the hottest 13 miles of my life. My hands were swollen and my skin was dry because of the wind & sun drying my sweat immedialtely.
I am pleased that I never stopped during the entire Half Ironman!

Countdown 8..7..6..

2010-09-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's FRIDAY, one week from today we will be on a plane to Cancun. Today is the first REST DAY I've had in a while. I'm not sure what to do with that. :) It's been a long journey of training both mentally & physically as I've said before. Today I'm reflecting on the past months of training. Reflecting about all that I have learned as well as how I have changed as an athlete and a person. This phrase comes to mind "Patience Grasshopper"; I have been tested many times to slow down and follow the plan. I have learned to 'Trust the Training" for sure- to slow down when the training calls for it even though you feel like going fast, to rest when it's time even if you feel like working out (no cheating), to eat when you're not hungry because your body needs fuel, to know mentally that you are strong even when your body aches....Trust the Training!
Today is list day. I am tweaking my plans; race plans, travel plans, nutrition plans, packing plans, and after race plans! You'll see all my plans soon!
Happy Tri-ing

Taper Time

2010-09-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Two weeks from today we will be on a plane to Cancun! It has been such an adventure to this point and I'm so excited to celebrate months of training by actually doing the event! I'm trying not to call it a race since, I'm told, you don't 'race' an edurance event. Whatever you want to call it, it's gonna be awesome!

Plans are in place:

Weekend itinerary is set & btw it is very busy couple of days before the race. Plan includes, touring bike course in vehicle, practicing swim course, expo, meetings, bike check in and transition area set up night before, body marking night before, pre race pasta dinner....so much excitement.

Race plan is in place as well. I have detailed my goals, my nutrition, and my gear checklist. It puts a different spin on everything since we have to pack everything for flight.

Race numbers are obtained for tracking during the race:

Rhonda Pearsall #258
Holly Hair #321
Susan Lynell Harber #118

Happy Tri-ing

Bike/ Run Brick & Tree Swing

2010-08-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Lynell and Me

climbing tree

3 hour Bike and 30 minute Run on schedule for this weekend. Started later than normal so it was super hot the entire way, Enduralytes & Salt tabs helped with that though. Rested under the most awesome shade tree ever. It was decided that it would be a great climbing tree. About half way through the ride, Holly, this time gets stung by a bee- OUCH- right in the middle of the forehead! What is up with all the bees?!? There is maybe an inch of space between your helmet and your sunglasses, what are the odds?? We are about 5 miles from the end of our ride when we pass the BIGGEST & COOLEST tire swing ever. Of course, we had to turn around for a pic!

Lynell and Holly

70 Mile Adventure Ride

2010-08-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I forgot to tell you about the adventures on my longest ride! It was about a month ago on a Sat morning B Ride with the RB Cyclery Group. Lynell and I were pumped up to do the 70 mile route. The first half was an awesome ride in the country. The second half started out with a flat on Lynell's bike. Rod, the owner of RB's, was the leader of the ride and was able to fix the flat pronto! About 10 miles later the 2nd flat on her bike got everyone a little discouraged. Seemed the tire was fine but not sure what kept happening to the tubes. At this point, we are cruising along at a good speed when a bee gets trapped under my sunglasses and stings my eyelid not once, but twice. I am so lucky I didn't wreck or cry. For that matter, I didn't even stop! I figured there was nothing that could be done at that point since I'm not allergic. It felt like getting a shot in my eyelid......ohhhh, did it burn for about an hour. So at the next stop we ice my eye and change Lynell's 3rd flat of the day. Are we done yet.... seems lots of drama has got us behind schedule and the heat is really increasing quickly. We have about 10 miles to go when the 4th flat occurs on Lynell's bike, we have used all spare tubes & cartridges from everyone at this point. Finally, Rod borrows someone's reading glasses to really check the tire & found a tiny piece of glass.(who would have thot you'd need reading glasses on a ride). Once the glass was extracted ...you got it...no more flats!. (Lynell has since purchased a new tire as well)!!! As for my eye, it got worse the next couple days so I wound up getting a shot, antibiotic, and steroids which quickly healed it, Thank God!!!

34 days to go...heart skips a beat

2010-08-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

Gotta EARN it!!

My Half Ironman seems to be rapidly approaching...almost too rapidly. 5 weeks from today :) Things have been really busy with the beginning of a new school year making time seem to go faster. I have had only 1 rest day in the month of August and I'm beginning to feel it. I seem to be living workout to workout with sleep and eat breaks in between! I have named this the "Wet Summer" between swimming, sweating, and so many showers, I have been wet all summer.
The heat has been miserable this summer with record highs. I have been trying to keep my endurance workouts in zone 2 but it is really difficult with the heat & humidity. I have not raced since Mighty Mite (July) and I'm getting a little antsy. Not that an endurance event needs to be 'raced', but I am excited to experience the race environment in Cancun.
I am working on making my race plan which includes nutrition and the logistics of getting my gear to the race site. My bike and I have been bonding really well lately, she has been a faithful training partner.
I have just realized that after the Half Ironman I will have 7 weeks to train for the New York City Marathon. Yikes...I was thinking I had longer....well, guess I'll need to be ready to bump up my runs.
I'm excited to hear about my friend Jenifer's first 70.3 coming up in 2 weeks in Utah- I have learned so much from other people during this process. Thanks to all my Tri-mates for sharing your adventures with me.
Say some prayers for me & my 'Ironmates' as we enter the final weeks of our journey!

Let's Catch Up...

2010-08-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

"Biker Chick"

The summer has taken a toll on my blogging. Pool rotation to let the kids swim has occupied my days and workouts have taken up the evenings. The weekends have been a blur with long bikes & long runs. I'll recap briefly what you've missed in regard to my 'Tri-Training.':)

Training:

Bike:
RB Cyclery weekly 'rides with the boys' (my name for it) it's a drop ride which is a 35 mile 'fast' ride. There are a couple girls (Melanie & Toni) along w/ Lynell & I- we do our best to keep up then we get dropped & do our own ride...sometimes we get lapped near the end of the ride! Good times! Hopefully it has helped us dig deeper though.

Open Water Swim:
I am very thankful for the 'volunteer' family that live on Garner Lake. They have opened their home & lake up to local triathletes for training. My fear of OWS has diminished due to this factor. Me and my Ironmates have been swimming 1.25 miles weekly all summer. I may not have gotten tremendously faster but I have become very comfortable in the lake.

Run:
My runs have been nice & easy this summer; Zone 2 Heart Rate to build endurance. I've worked in some Hill Sprints and Surges of speed to keep the fitness level.

There is room for improvement where my nutrition is concerned. I have done a decent job of eating healthy foods, but I have included some poor choices in my diet as well this summer. This is a main area of focus currently. I am in the process of figuring out my race day nutrition and in the process tweaking my every day nutrition as well. I am excited that we are having dinner with a couple different experienced "IronPeople" to get their perspectives on nutrition. After all, experience is the best teacher :) One of the worst things I can think of, would be to 'bonk' on race day due to poor nutrition or hydration after months of training your body.

Races:

Zoom Through the Zoo (May 27) beautiful course thru the zoo- extremely hot for the time of year.
Habortown 5K (June 4) wonderful views on this race.
Ultimate 10K UPS(June 26) race which had to be the hottest race I've ever done, ughhh, and the uphill finish was really awesome!!!
Mighty Mite Sprint Tri(July 17) Point to Point Sprint Tr w/ 2 TA's which causes confusion on where to put your gear (T1 or T2) quite a bit of stress on race morning. I enjoy the course though, it's quite hilly on the bike but levels out on the short run. I PR'd this race by about 10 minutes. Slight overcast day which helped with the temp.

Dragonfly

2010-06-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

2:08:26

1/2m swim :21
Water was PERFECT :) Race was a wave start w/ all females together...I wasn't quite ready when the horn blew...stopped after 5 strokes to start my watch..then went hard to catch up. After a minute I kinda got freaked for a sec- guess I went too hard. I quickly recovered & started counting my strokes.( I count 10 strokes then sight) I finished strong but disappointed that I wasn't totally prepared at the beginning. lesson learned

18m bike 1:01
Flat course w/ one monster hill before turn around at mile 8 (good times)! I thought I'd be faster on flats but I realize now that it's more constant effort than on rolling hills where you get some breaks. Tougher than I thought- overall felt strong & enjoyed the ride

4m run :41
Run was hot (derrr-Memphis area). Course was in & out with 1 mile flat road which led into woods for 2 miles (yes w/ a few big hills which I walked up) and then ended on the mile road. I did first mile 9m pace which was too fast in the sun..I slowed down & finished the trails with a consistent pace & picked up last mile to pass some of my age groupers :) I didn't write down my race plan with this race and I realized I wasn't as focused or prepared.

Memphis In May Olympic Tri

2010-05-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

2:56:51 was my time in the Triathlon, YAY, I made my goal of under 3 hours! Here are the splits:

1.5K swim   32 minutes
40K bike   1:19
10K run     1:01

I feel confident that I was well trained and ready for this race. I was relaxed during the entire race. I hydrated tons before the swim and on the bike. The heat was horrible; so many people had to pull out for heat related issues. My race plan, which I did several days before, was very helpful. I'm glad I had it, the day before I was so disorganized trying to get ready for the race. I'm glad I had it written down when I was relaxed and able to concentrate. The plan consisted of goal times, nutrition, gear, after race clothes, etc. I also detailed reminders as far as what to do at the vehicle and what to do in the transition area. I was second to last age group entering the water, I thought this would be a mental defecit but I was okay coming out of the water to an almost empty transition area. I passed lots of swimmers and that gave me the confidence that I needed. I rocked my T1 time (thanks to the transitions buckets). I started the bike a little wobbly...almost veered in the grass while I was clipping in..but I recovered gracefully. I started just behind a guy wearing a local team jersey, he was my rabbit, I had him in my sight the entire race-it took me 18 miles to catch him and that was because he slowed to eat...of course, he passed me again but I finished right behind him! I was really pleased with my consistency on the bike. I rocked my T2 also (I was so happy to sit on my bucket to put on my shoes). The run was hilly and HOT. The last 1/4 mile was on the levee around the lake, I knew when I saw the water I would be in it in a few moments! I finished strong with all my friends cheering near the finish line. Shoes off...in the water, ahhhh! One of the best days of my life!!!

3 Days until Memphis In May Trialthon

2010-05-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Olympic distance Tri is only 3 days away and I've been fighting a virus due to my "carrier monkey kids", God love em! Luckily, I only had a mild case (and passed it on to Lynell as well-SO sorry-dang pretzels). Rachel recommended Race Day Boost by Hammer- THANK YOU CURLY GIRL, I am feeling SO much better today. I am confident I will be 100% by Sunday. Not only did she recommend them, she gave me some- wOOt wOOt!! I'm putting those on my pre-race training plan from now on. Thank goodness this was taper week because I haven't felt like doing much. Got an open water swim in & a couple spin bike sessions. I'm a little worried about my run, my foot is better but I haven't gotten my training up to par yet. Everyone says that biking will make you a stronger runner....guess we'll find out Sunday. I just found out that some of my family are coming in to see the race (yay Brock, Betsy, Drake & Matt) I'm psyched!!!
I just got back from Kindergarten music program...ADORABLE- the excitement on their faces..precious.
Can't believe tomorrow is the last day of school...
Okay, weather looks awesome for race weekend yayayayayaya!!!

Sat..cheer on friends doing Sprint race
expo & packet pickup
practice swim
Sun.. RACE DAY

See ya after the race :)

Mother's Day May 9th

2010-05-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

Perfect gift for a Triathlete Mom...Bike Accessories...my bike got a tune up, new aerobars, and new blue tape!!! Ohhh, we are SO ready to race!

Insanity

2010-05-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing so much about P90X and Insanity lately that I had to jump on the bandwagon today- I ordered INSANITY. One of my Ironmates on dailymile has started a group for us to follow and encourage each other! I'm hoping it will be a good addition to my swim, bike, run training. I'm so excited to get started- hopefully it will arrive in time for me to begin the workout on Monday...I'll keep you posted!

Cinco De Mayo Pub Run

2010-05-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

A local run store Breakaway Running hosted a Pub Run to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! What a blast. I headed to the start with Rebecca, Holly and Lynell. We started out running by the TV station so they could get a quick shot of all the crazy runners in bright yellow shirts! It was a 4 mile run with 3 beer/tequilla stops. Needless to say, the pace slowed down near the end of the run. A few of us girls took a detour and stopped by the local tattoo parlor to get ear piercings (hoops in the cartilage)! I already have one so it wasn't me....just sayin'! After the run, we continued the celebration with some yummy Mexican food thanks to Daniel!

King of the Hill Sprint Triathlon: May 1

2010-05-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

I woke up to tornado sirens at 4:15 on Race Day! Sooo, I get my tri suit on as I'm watching the weather channel with all the RED over the Memphis area. We all decide quickly that we're going (we already have our tri suits on & it's the first race of the season....derrrr) Of course, we hoped the storm would blow over by the time we drive the 2 hours to Tupelo, Mississippi. We got lucky, the weather was clear for our race, unlike most of west and middle Tennessee. At home, near Memphis, we had record breaking rainfall and the flooding was horrendous. But that's another story, back to the first tri of the season. We quickly got checked in (I changed to age-grouper from relay- Rebecca couldn't make it) got race bag, got marked, got transition area set up...Ready to race!

Swim (17:29) The half mile swim course started by swimming past a pier then a left turn toward the buoys set in a rectangle pattern. Not sure the water temp but I felt fine in my wetsuit after about 50 yards once my face got used to the water. Everyone swam head up until we passed the pier, which helped me relax and not start out too fast. Lynell swam with me & I think we must have swam an extra 100 yards due to snaking all over the place ***must work on sighting***

Bike(1:09:25) 20 mile bike was hills and wind...not much more to say. God put a huge hill at mile 18.5 just to test my endurance!

Run(34:44) 3.6 mile run consisted of a loop with ...yep, more hills! Since it was my longest post stress fracture run, I walked up some hills! Hey, I'm just glad to be running again!

overall time 2:06 1st place age group! I must admit that Lynell really beat me though, she hung back a few times with me (yay both of us)!!! Race bling!

Game On!!

2010-04-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm back...got off track a bit while recovering from a stress fracture in my foot. Boot came off April 15 ...YAY!! I've ran a few times nice & easy- so far so good NO PAIN; a bit tight but that's to be expected after the restriction of the boot.

First open water swim of the season this weekend during a girl's trip to Hot Springs. Holly & I decided to swim across the lake. The water was cold and little choppy from boats- kinda got in my head a bit and I could not relax. But it opened my eyes to rethink my focus. My focus has been way off the last 3 weeks. But no worries, I've got my game face on now. Got a good training plan for the week and good nutrition planned.

Penny can is my new rage. Here is a pic from girls weekend where we climbed to the hightest point we could find to play penny can. (me, Holly, & Rebbeca).

My first Tri of the season is Sat. King of the Hill Sprint Tri. 1/2 mile swim, 20 mile bike, 3.6 mile run. My friend Rebecca is doing the run for me. Doc said to take it easy for a few weeks so I decided to do a relay. I really want to focus on the swim/ bike transition anyway so that works well.
Alrighty then- REST is on my training plan so I'd better head to bed.

Endurance

2010-04-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

It dawned on me during my last swim why some people never do endurance sports. It seems to me that the first part of each activity is always hard no matter how much you train. The first 300 yards of a swim , the first 10 minutes of a run, the first few miles on the bike always seem hard no matter how much I train. I would guess it is our body getting acclimated to the activity; muscles stretching, blood flowing, hearts pumping. With all this said, my guess is most people don't realize that it does get easier.... once our body gets into it's rhythm. Our mind realizes what we are doing and tells our body we will survive the pain (mind over matter). It never fails that once I can get my mind and body to relax I get in the zone and time goes by whether I'm running, biking or swimming. I'm not saying it's not hard, but my mind somehow tunes out the pain and I can keep going. So my advice to anyone that has a desire to do an endurance sport is "keep on going"....the journey is worth all the effort that you put in your training. Your mind and body are stronger than you can imagine.

Ride into Spring

2010-04-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

A local bike shop RB's Cyclery hosted the Ride into Spring today for charity. You could choose between a 35 mile route and a 75 mile route. After the big partaee at our house yesterday, Lynell and I opted for 35. I woke up twice due to the thunderstorm which luckily passed through and cleared out by 5:30 am. So I woke up at 6:30 dehydrated and thinking "Do I really wanna wake up and ride on wet roads?" hum....After texting back and forth...we decided to go for it. So glad we did, it was a great ride. The sun came out before we started and roads were dry by about mile 10. Speaking of mile 10,-that was the site of my first flat. Had all the gear and gadgets (thanks to my always prepared husband) but I have not acquired the know- how at this point (the maintenance 101 class has not occured at my house as of this time). A group of 5 guys stopped and 4 of them talked the other one through the procedure. :) I think they were all just trying to impress us with their knowledge. btw...I found out RB Cyclery offers bike maintenance the first Saturday of every month. I will be there next month..fo sho!! Prior to the flat, we were averaging about 19 and feeling really good. We wound up averaging around 16 due to a few major hills which we geared out on. We booked it on the flats at about 20mph and caught back up with some of the groups. Lots of good food at the end and even a massage....yeah, next year we'll do 75!

Training Update

2010-04-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I see it's been a while since I've posted to my blog. I've only been trying to maintain since I've been in the boot (btw, sports medicine doctor said at least 2 more weeks in the boot...I go back April 15 for next Xray). She is letting me train on the elliptical so I will be adding that back in next week!!! Yay! I'm also going to PT to strengthen my hip flexors, and a Podiatrist to see if I need orthotics (good times). I'm hoping taking these precautions might prevent any future stress fractures. I am also beginning a new weight lifting plan that I got from the book: The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
My recent workouts have included swim clinic 3 times a week which I am really enjoying. I feel much stronger & more relaxed in the water. My stroke has really improved but I can't say I'm a ton faster yet. But hopefully that will come. Although I did swim a 25 in 19 seconds (w/ fin) which I'm not ashamed of. Currently my 100 is about 65 seconds & my 200 is about 2:20. I've been on my bike every sunny day possible. Having some awesome rides. Looking forward to gettin aero bars & a trainer for when school is out. I'll be able to log some miles in the back yard while the boys play.
With all that said, today is Good Friday (Happy Easter everyone), and I'm hosting an egg hunt/ mommy drink afternoon at our house, but first swim clinic!
Praying the rain holds off for the Ride into Spring in the morning!

Herb Parsons Ride

2010-03-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

First road ride since I've had 'the boot', foot felt fine. The winds were hefty today at times but it was a great sunny day! I was a little cautious about trying to unclip with my right foot & start with my right foot but I'm left footed so it didn't feel natural. The bike shoe is so hard soled it doesn't allow my foot to bend but I was still a little paranoid!

CYCLE 30 Miles, 2 hours, avg 15mph.
GAC to Herb Parsons route

Yay, Lynell ordered her new road bike & lots of cool gear! Happy Birthday!!! We're having GNO tonight to celebrate!
BTW...good luck to all the Germantown Half Marathoners tomorrow---run super fast!!!

Swim Clinic during spring break

2010-03-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Swim Clinic:

A different swim coach (Coach Scott) critiqued our swim stroke during drills today. We did lots of balance work with dumbbell float & kick board.
1. side- 6 kicks; front 6 kicks; other side-6 kicks.
2. side to side 6 kicks each
3. catch up drill with dumbbell float.
We did some sprint drills & kick drills as well. I need to relax more when doing all these drills - for sure.

Thursday - off day. Kids had a play day with Abbey while Lynell & I had girl time w/o gym time!

Friday Swim Clinic:
After playground & picnic, we headed to swim clinic where we did 2 timed 500 meters. The goal was to do the second 500 the same as or faster than the first 500. Okay, so that didn't happen but I was within 5 seconds from my first time, obviously the first was 5 seconds faster. Currently my pace for the 500's is about 12.5 minutes. That would put me finishing the mile swim @ MIM at about 38 minutes. To build my swim endurance, I plan on adding these 500's to my training plan as 3 x 500/15minutes. That should give me 3 minutes rest between sets. Today the water temp was 82 degrees, I was really hot during the last 100- my face was on fire. The swim cap really holds in the heat. uughh...
Pool Running:
After swim, decided to stay in the deep end for some pool running @ Rachel's suggestion. (thx girlfriend). I am going to continue this until I can "real run" again :). Next time I will strap on the heart rate monitor & maybe turn on some music!!! I'm hoping pool running will help sustain my aerobic base. Although, biking will help that too.....thats on the calendar for tomorrow!

Spring Break workout

2010-03-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Since I can only leave the kids for 2 hours @ KIDZ CLUB (which they love btw), I got in the following workout:

Weights: 40 minutes of strenth training focusing on arms & back.
Cycle: Indoor cyle @ GAC focusing on keeping heart rate in zone 2 & 3- cycled 20 miles.

Boot Day 1

2010-03-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

The pain in my foot during Little Rock Half turned out to be a stress fracture. So the boot goes on & no running for a few weeks. Oh well, I've been meaning to cut back the running a little anyway. Time to concentrate on the bike & swim. Doc says she will have me ready for Memphis In May. I think the intensity of my workouts have been a little high which increases the chance of injury. I just- last night- added my training heart rate zones in my Garmin so I could train in zones 2 & 3.....guess I did that a little too late. Live & Learn...

So swim clinic went well today (doc asked if my foot hurts pushing off the wall....I hadn't even associated that but YEP it sure does) 1750 yds dones as:

300 warm up

10 x 25, 30 sec

10x50, 60 sec

1 x 500 ladder (alternating fast/slow of each distance 25,50,75,100)

200 cool down

weights & bike on agenda tomorrow since I couldn't go to the beach with Holly :(

PS really excited that my dailymile friend Christina is doing Cancun 70.3---woo hoo girlfriend!

Swim Clinic

2010-03-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

I have a swim coach!! I need one this is for sure :) Hopefully, I can correct some of the damage that has been done to my swim stroke over the years. After just 2 sessions, I am able to do bilateral breathing. Forever I have only been breating on my right side. Okay, so I'm a bit slow while practicing this drill :) This technique training reminds me of when I learned to play golf....there seemed to be a huge checklist to go through- head down, knees slightly bent...blah...blah...blah. Bottom line- I need to swim a little over a mile a) without drowning
b) as efficiently as possible (to be as fast as I can AND save energy for bike/ run)
We did bunches of drills today for a total of 1300 yards. The clinic is designed for Tri training & will continue for 11 weeks. Today's drills:
catch up: teaches balance & enabled me to do bilateral breathing
side kicks w/ board alternating every 6 kicks
pace drills- counting strokes to ensure glide/pull
breast stroke- worked on correct form

Before swim clinic, Lynell & I got in 20 miles on our bikes starting from the gym. Great day to bike although we had some winds on the way out.

Today I realized that this blog is taking the place of a Tri Coach. It is what makes me accountable (which was the goal)- guess it's working! Maybe I should pay a "coaching fee" to each follower for making me accountable for my training!

One more thing before I call it a night- wanted to share my Flat Stanley picture (google if you're not familiar). She will be doing all the races w/ me this year. Not sure how she'll fair on the swim but I think she can do the bike/run. Although, she may just hang out in my bag & pose for pics!

Little Rock Half

2010-03-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

Little Rock Swag:

I can't think of a better weekend than combining a girls weekend with a Half- Marathon! We 3 'Runner Girls' (Holly, Rebecca, & I) met up with Kristen (runner girl #4 with baby#1 in utero) in Little Rock. Little Rock puts on quite a race; from the expo to the finishers medal, everything was well organized. We even had perfect running weather. The course was relatively flat with lots of water stops & plenty of energy gels(even jolly ranchers & orange slices). I was on target for a PR for the half until I got a couple of side stitches & then a foot pain that would not go away. I had to slow down a bit but still managed to run it in 1:57:30. I ran the last 3 miles the fastest, very pleased that I finsihed strong. But, hey, what's up with upscale hotels in Little Rock NOT having hot tubs. A soak after the race would have been wonderful & I must say well deserved by all of us. We had to settle for shower, food, & soaking up sun instead:

Before the race we hung out at Flying Saucer, Little Rock, then we met some girls from Wisconsin while checking out the starting line. They shared their 'tutus' with us for a pic:

I'm really excited about mine & Holly's goal of running a Half-Marathon in every state! It's definately gonna be an adventure! BTW...this was my flat stanley's first race!

Kudos to Little Rock Marathon for having the largest finishers medal in the country (8" medal)- note to self: Do the full next year for that medal!!!!

Pre-Race

2010-03-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Easy week of training prior to Little Rock Half Marathon. I don't know what do to with my extra time! hehe.. Did you notice- 197 days till Cancun :) !! But...before that, beginning Monday, plan for Memphis In May is set in motion. Today I'm tweaking my training plan a little in order to mix up some workouts so I'm not doing the same thing every week on the same day. Also, I added a widget from daily mile that keeps track of my total miles for 2010 (includes swim, bike, and run miles). Alrighty then, better go pack & clean house. Carnival tonight at kid's school- good times!

Swim, Hot Tub, Sauna

2010-03-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

So IT band hurting a little this morning, swimming seemed to loosen it up.

Swim Drills 2,000 yds:

100 warm up
500 continuous free
250 breast
500 5 x 100 down slow, back raced Lynell (she won)
200 pull buoy
250 breathing 3,5,7
200 cool down

Nice recovery soak in hot tub & sauna after! Relaxing :) Did Abs & IT stretches at home. Nice easy day & finally some time to relax before boys get home from school. Looking forward to Little Rock this weekend!
Parmesan Chicken for dinner....
***BE CAREFUL OUT THERE*** My friend Rachel got hit on her bike this weekend. Luckily she sustained only bruises but it is a reminder of how we always have to be alert!!! And...for you folks who don't ride...please remember to SHARE THE ROAD!!!

Frog 43 miler

2010-02-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Sunny & low 50's today. Al led our 43 mile bike ride from Lakeland Mall with Lynell, Laura, and I trying to keep up. We did the ride in about 3 hours which brought our avg pace around 14.5. I heard so many frogs croaking along the route- I had this thought of filling up my pockets with frogs for my 3 boys! They would have so loved that. It was a peaceful ride and I felt much stronger this week. I'm chalking it up to better nutrition. My Garmin said I burned 1600 calories during the ride. Don't think I've eaten 1600 calories today- better eat when I'm done here :)

Here are February's workout totals according to the daily mile:

Miles logged: 349
Time logged: 38.5 hours

Move it Memphis 10K

2010-02-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

Today is race day in Downtown Memphis and the weather is sunny along the river course for Move it Memphis 10K .Sportin my new Brooks Defyance while setting a 10K PR (goal was under 53:00) got 52:54. yay me! Holly set a PR today as well...yay Holly! Love races when we get medals as race swag :)

Yesterday was rest day & I thoroughly enjoyed it- ate, rested, and got my new shoes at Fleet Feet Memphis.

Nutrition: dinner last night: Lasagna & a glass of wine

breakfast 1 Oatmeal, boiled eggs, coffee

breakfast 2 English muffin w/ jelly

(breakfast 1 was 2 1/2 hrs prior to race; breakfast 2 was an hour prior to race) 20 min prior to start I ate a gu then at every mile I ate 1 sports bean. Oh yeah, can't forget the water- I started drinking as soon as I got up and continued till race time.

Here are my Garmin stats:Move it Memphis 10K Garmin Stats. I'm very pleased with my recovery time and my last mile time. I am really focusing on finishing faster and starting out slower. Alrighty then, it's playtime with kids this afternoon then John & I are off to dinner & a play with friends! Grown up time!

Bike Fit Day

2010-02-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Workout:
Spin Bike 45 minutes (appx 15 miles) training in heart rate zones as follows:
zone 4-        5 min
zone 4.5-   15 min
zone 5-      15 min
zone 5.5-     7 min
zone 6-        3 min

Swim: 1,000 yds (25 min) no drills- all freestyle pulls.

Scheduled for a bike fit at Bike World today with Brian. I should have done this alot sooner but just kept putting it off. After the 46 miler on Friday, my IT band on the outside of my knee has been irritated. Brian determined that my right leg is a wee bit shorter than my left. This explains SO much to me. During the long bike ride, my right leg was having to extend too far to reach the full pedal rotation causing IT band to extend. Also, this explains my IT band problems in my hip when running long distances. I have figured out that I migrate to the middle of the road when I run & normally have my right leg elevated a bit because it is more comforable. Now I know why!   If I continue to have IT band issues I may need to have orthotics for my running shoes. I would definitely recommend a bike fit! All for now, shower time & kid time :)

Running w/ Sierra

2010-02-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

Tuesday training: workout attire:

Strength 1 hour: pyramids (increasing weight during set) medium weight for 12 reps, heavy weight for 10 reps, heaviest for 8 reps. Hope I'm not feeling it tomorrow.

Abs Class: 30 minutes- I love Amy's class at Germantown Athletic Center (GAC) she really mixes it up & keeps your abs working.

Run 4 miles: 9:57pace- Nice, easy run with Sierra today (she is still pooped) I can't believe she used to run 12 m with me. The farthest I let her go now is 6m. After all, she will be 11 this year! She cries everytime I go without her. Route per Garmin Forerunner 305 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25394471

I'm trying to vary my nutrition a bit to add in more healthy carbs. As the intensity and length of my workouts increase, my calories need to increase in proportion. Salmon & sushi for dinner and off to PTA meeting tonight at the Kindergartners school. Twins won tropheys for 2nd & 3rd place in photography contest at their school! yay!!!

Swim/Run

2010-02-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

Swim Drills 1000 yds
100 warm up
8X25 pull buoy :10 rest
100 breast
4X100 :20 rest (breathing 3,5,3)
100 pull buoy
100 cool down

Ran 3.3 miles on TM pace 9:05 (30 minutes)
1-10 consistent pace

11-20 increased pace every 2 minutes
21-25 consistent pace but higher than min 1-10
26-30 increased every minute finished @ highest pace

Reading Food for Fitness by Chris Carmichael (Lance Armstrong's coach) really learning alot about how nutrition is linked to training. More about that later...

Easy Day

2010-02-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

Had a GNI (girls night in) @ Kristina's last night. Chatting, drinking, and eating! Paid for it this morning during training:

swim 900 yds (interval drills)
bike 16m (farmington/wolf river route)

Beautiful 60 degree day with some gusty winds. First day with my new seat-so far it's a hit: Terry Butterfly Tri Gel:

Lynell's luck with new gear wasn't as successful- she was trying out a different bike ....better luck next time. I think a Felt is in her future :)

Overall the fam had good weekend, kids got to play outside and jump on the trampoline (for the first time in months it seems). All have been fed, cleaned and ready for bed! Hoping for relax time with hubby.

Curly Hair Girls plus one!

2010-02-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

It was a great day for a long ride, Al is awesome to include us in some of his rides. He is training for a full Ironman and is very encouraging. I mapped it with my Garmin so I won't always have to depend on others for directions. I thought Al's email said 35-40 miles...why did my Garmin data say almost 46? Hum...it was a great ride even though I wasn't quite prepared for that distance yet. Rachel rocks--she kept up with Al the entire ride! I couldn't keep up to even draft - believe me I tried! Lynell hung in & finished really strong. They are both machines!!! Actually, I am pleased with my ride- every ride I learn a little more. At one point during this ride, Rachel told me that every ride is cummulative and as you build your strength & endurance you get better. I reading after the ride and found a quote that was quite fitting by Dr. George Sheehan "I train each day to preserve the self I attained the day before."
Here is the ride date from my Garmin:
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Lakeland 46 miler
I'm surprised I wasn't really sore the next day just really tired. Garmin said I burned 1900 calories. I don't think I'm eating 1900 calories... I'm tweaking my nutrition plan. The only issue I had was IT band tenderness the day after the ride-I've been stretching it and rolling it with the The Stick & it seems better today. I have an appt to get my bike fitted so hoping that will help.

PS Enjoyed my recovery day immensely!

No Garmin/ No Music

2010-02-18T13:33:00.000-08:00

Thursday stats:

Weights- 45 min (got thru entire routine)- need to do abs later today.
Run- 9.33 m/ 1.5 hrs/ 10 mmpace (apx)

So I got my cool new Tri bag and spent lots of time packing up my gear (everything fits w/ room to spare) only to get to the gym & realize I forgot to take my Garmin & Shuffle off their chargers & pack them! uuugghhh.. I am so gear dependent it was hard to run w/out them. Lynell helped me through it though . :) She tracked our route on mapmyrun.com and to our surprise we ran 9.33 (we set out to do 7-8). too funny!!!! No wonder we were feeling a bit tired. The extra mileage works out well because I've fallen back a little on my running miles due to the time I'm putting in on biking & swimming. Normally, that would be fine but I do have Little Rock Half in a couple of weeks....

Off to get kids from school- they'll be surprised I made cookies! Don't be impressed, it's just the presliced kind that bakes in 9 min...really, it was nothing!

Family time tonight so no DM, Twitter, or Blogging...maybe I'll catch up on reading some blogs though!

Before I go, gotta show you my new Tri bag- I know you are curious...

Gym Day

2010-02-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

Used a lap counter duiring my swim today, it allowed me to focus on form & breathing rather than counting laps. Swimming is slowly improving but I need to do more drill sets & increase my distance. I feel that swimming is helping my body recover quicker from biking, running, and weights. It seems to stretch out my muscles. Yes! my muscles are slowly becoming more defined. I have proof of this because I ran into a friend in the locker room that I haven't seen in a year or so & she didn't recognize me from behind (in my swimsuit) she said I was much more defined! yay!! Now if I can just get faster...

workout:
Swim 1800 yds
Spin bike 1 hour/20m w/ focus on maintaing HR in zone 4/5- tracking this with Garmin - hoping to be more consistent.

So while I was at the bookstore with the kids, I couldnt resist buying a couple of books. The first is about appropriate nutrition for the athlete; the other is weight training for women. I'll post titles after I decide if they are worthy!

Off to bed, stayed up too late last night.

Gear Check

2010-02-16T22:28:00.000-08:00

I'm up way too late updating Garmin Forerunner 305 in garmin connect website. I've had my Garmin for about 8 months but I'm just learning how to download data and actually use the information it provides. I love my Garmin- it has been the greatest factor in my race times improving. It is awesome to know the exact pace you are running and how your body/mind feels at the moment. It is the measurement of pain! I say all this to get to the point that I am beginning my heart rate zone training officially. I have been playing around with the zones & estimating but I am going to begin to track my data on most workouts.
I'm cutting into precious sleep/recovery time so let's get to today's workout:

Weights/ 45 min
Run: TM 45min/4.75mi @ 9.30 pace

Okay, off to bed- gear all ready for another day tomorrow.

President's Day

2010-02-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

Two rest days in a row for me! Yay! Altho I may sneak to the gym for a quick swim when John gets home from work.

I just got an email about the Long Road Training Race in the Memphis area on Feb 27. It conflicts with Move it Memphis 10K that I've already registered for BUT I've never done a 'bike only' race. I'm thinking it would be good Tri training...still contemplating.

PS - 1800 yd swim/45 min - working on drills that I will define later.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

It's a rest day(recovery day more like it after yesterday) for me! That works out well since it allows me to spend Valentine's day with the family. I know my 3 boys will love that! A special Valentine to my sister, Carol, who is recovering from having a double masectomy in January. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in December and had surgery in January. We are very blessed because they caught it early (it hadn't spread to the lymph nodes) ; the surgery was a success and she is doing well. She has always been an inspiration to me and continues to inspire me every day when I think of her! Can't forget my other 4 siblings (and 16 nieces & nephews)- Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

Here's a pic of the Valentine's race sweatshirt from yesterday's 10K. It was an awesome race!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-13T21:06:00.000-08:00

Ran Valentine's 10K w/ Holly this morning- set a PR: 53:18/8.34 pace. Nice course w/ some hills; sun was shinning (windy & 40). Great race sweatshirt (actually, my first race sweatshirt). Definitely a FAV! After some post race refuel dropped Holly off (neither of us placed-5th & 6th in our age groups), I met Lynell & Al for a 35 mile bike ride at Lakeland Mall. It was hilly & windy- my gears got a workout as well as my legs. 2:24/ 14.6 pace.

A couple hours of rest time & then off to Holly's for a dinner party. There were 5 couples, 10 kids (one 8 year old & nine 5 & under-including 2 sets of twins!!), yummy mexican food (Dan's the Man), good drinks, good friends & lots of hoopin/ hollerin from the little ones. Happy Valentine's Day to all my family & friends! Gotta go set out V-tine surprises for hubby & the kids. Nite-Nite.

Friday

2010-02-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

Swam 1550 yds / 45 minutes (think I socialized too much during rest breaks)
Cycle 20 miles / 1 hour

Cleaned house & made lemon cookies w/ lemon glazed icing for Holly's dinner party.
GNO tonight @ Flying Saucer. Always lots of fun but racing tomorrow at 10 so may need to take it easy on the brewskies.

Stronger....Better....Faster

2010-02-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

So I spent 1 1/2 hours with weights today and mixed in some core work. Changed up my routine a bit to include more chest & back work. According to my schedule (which I am the master of) I was supposed to do a long run today (about 1.25 hours) but I decided to do a Valentine 10K on Saturday instead. I'll need to add in a couple miles after the race and I'll call it my long run. My long run is not where it should be for Little Rock Half but I'm hoping my cross-training will pick up the slack. We'll see March 7.

After my workout, I did some research (read as shopping) for bike trainers & Garmin cadence sensor for my bike. Did not get those items but found other useful workout equipment on sale --swimsuit and nike running gloves!

Managed to make a roast, do laundry, twin's kindergarten homework--now ready to watch Grey's on tivo.
Oh yeah, also, I read some great blogs that I follow.

Another snow day!

2010-02-10T19:45:00.000-08:00

Quick workout today due to childcare limitations - love the Kidz Klub!

Tuesday workout:
Strength training: 45 minutes of mainly upper body.
Run: 3 miles on TM

Hey, at least I got my workout in!

Wednesday workout:
Swim: 1550 yds nice & easy (tired- maybe due to being cooped up with the kids) ha!
Cycle: 1 hour/ 20 miles on gym bike (still too icy for me on the road)

Snowy Monday---Again

2010-02-08T20:25:00.000-08:00

I was able to make it to the gym before it closed due to snow & sleet in Memphis (yes, again). We got 5-6" of beautiful snow that my kids enjoyed all day!

Monday's workout:
1700 yd swim in 45 minutes (improving)
3 mile run on TM (28 min) 9:20 pace.

Felt good & strong- think I'm getting the hang of the eating strategy!
Apple on way to gym- swim-EAS protein shake-run-protein bar-shower-dinner!

Just got the "NO SCHOOL" call for tomorrow. Not sure what the day will hold for my workout.....

Peddler Group Ride- Sunday

2010-02-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed my Rest/ Recovery day on Saturday. My legs are having a hard time going between spin bike, gym bike, and road bike. As the weather improves, I hope to be on my road bike more. Also, I hope a trainer is in my future!

Met up with some experienced riders for a group ride on Sunday at the Peddler Bike Shop in Germantown.
http://www.peddlerbikeshop.com/index.html We rode 28.5 miles in just under 2 hours average 15 mph. Nice route - check out Justine's photo shoot of the ride!http://www.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=188&club_id=631861&module_id=71490&pp=1 I'm in all black & my friend Lynell is in pink & black.

Almost too tired from ride to watch the big game....no, not really!

Countdown to Cancun 70.3

2010-02-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

Geez, FINALLY a countdown clock on my blog! Humm, now that I see the actual number it feels like a really long time away....but there will be plenty of adventures along the way.

Daily Training:
45 minute swim- 1400 yds
1 hour cycle - 20 miles

My morning went like this: eat, kids to school, eat, swim, eat, cycle, eat... (see a pattern) seems this is the pattern for most of my mornings. I'm loving every minute of it!!!

At the gym, someone asked if Lynell & I were sisters/cousins- That curly hair gets 'em every time! Same person told me that I looked like an athlete that could be sponsored- WOW, one of my best compliments ever:)Lynell is doing her Memphis In May training with me- what will I do without her after MIM?!?!?

Schedule Revision

2010-02-04T18:42:00.000-08:00

I stayed up late last night tweaking my training schedule (yes, Again). I have to put it on paper so I can wrap my mind around my goals. Especially, since my goals are all over the place this year; beginning with half marathon in about a month then moving right into a 12-week Olympic Tri training schedule from there I have about 16 weeks until the 70.3.

Today's Training:
Hour of strength training with a focus on arms/ shoulders. I'm really hoping this will help my swimming. Quick protein shake then a 6 mile run in the rain. My fingers were so numb after the run that I couldn't even text --not that I should be texting & driving anyway! Legs are really tired tonight....think 'mama needs a new pair of shoes'....

Hello pool, my name is Rhonda....remember me?

2010-02-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Hour on spin bike (appx 17 miles)
Swam 750 yds
Hot tub & sauna, aahhhhh!

Disposable swimsuit went in trash --actually not disposable but it was so old & stretched out it was falling off me. Plan for Cancun is falling into place. Keep getting awesome training plans from experienced Triathletes--Thank you Al!

Groundhog's Day

2010-02-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

6 more weeks of winter, really? Guess I'll have to make the best of it.

Workout:
Strength Training-1 hour (weights with Kelly)
Core Workout- 1/2 hour (Amy's awesome ab class)
Cycle- 10 m (spin bike 10 min random hills)

February Races:
Move It Memphis 10K Feb 27

Dinner of Triathletes: Yummy!!

Snow Day (Ice Day actually) again....

2010-02-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Ran intervals on TM (5k) in the playroom while the kids.....well, not sure what they did --my shuffle was SO loud! All I know is--they were safe & happy AND I was running. Iced shins, core workout, shower & protein shake. Good day - altho I'm ready to get back to the gym & run outside. My marathon tat has healed so I'm hitting the pool this week.

Flying Saucer "Ring of Honor"

2010-01-31T17:20:00.000-08:00

Icy weekend in Memphis is winding down. Still waiting to hear if schools are open tomorrow so I can plan my workout. Way off training schedule this weekend starting with my plate party at Flying Saucerhttp://www.beerknurd.com/stores/cordova (yes, I drank 200 different beers to get my plate on the wall; otherwise know as the "Ring of Honor" # 200 was downed on NYE). Here is proof! Gotta luv the pink letters (only one in the place with colored letters, woo hoo) Great weekend to hang out with friends (those who braved the ice for a celebratory brew & 'Hop Head' shirt) I must say the kids enjoyed the snow/ice not to mention the cuddle/movie time on the couch. Enuf with the ice-- I'm ready to hit the road.

Snow Day

2010-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did upper body strength training- I'm really trying to build my shoulders for swimming. Also, did core work. Trying to stay off my legs due to some tenderness in my shins. I iced & rested legs all afternoon. I think BLT is a little too much pounding for my legs- love Maria's class though. May need to skip it for a while & do slow runs instead...

Today was a bike day but the snow got in the way of that...was really looking forward to biking & Mellow Mushroom after with the girls. Oh well, guess today is a 'top of the hour' workout day. That's about all I can do when I have all 3 kids at home. 4-5 times a day at the top of the hour I do pushups, bosu ball work, and crunches. It only takes a few minutes but adds up throughout the day.
snow on!

Spinner girls

2010-01-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

Amy's spin class today w/ Lynell, using HR zone training approach. Intervals were tough! Legs are feeling a little flat. Should have taken the rest day on Saturday-Note to self: Rest days mean REST!

Abs are slightly sore but I can tell they are getting stronger. yay-that's what I'm talking about- Stronger-better-faster!!

spin on!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2010-01-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

Long workout today:(2 1/2 hours)
Strength- (arms, back, shoulders)
Abs- 1/2 hour
Run- 5 miles/ 9 min pace (It was FA-REEZ-ING & windy) wondering why I wore shorts? humm, It wasn't so bad in the sun when the wind wasn't blowing!

Montra: The faster you run the faster you get back to your car!--DON'T STOP...it just takes longer!

First Peddler Ride

2010-01-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

Plans were to ride with group from Peddler Bike Shop but due to weather that didn't happen. Wound up riding with a couple of twenty year old girls
(Katie & Lindsey) that really pushed me & Lynell. Loved the route- we did just under 30 miles; first half at 18-20 mph - second half 16-18 mph. Strong headwinds but at least the sun was shining!

I think my body has finally gotten used to my eating plan. Thanks to Maria & Jessica I am now "Eating Clean"- plan consists of lots of lean protein & healthy complex carbs; veggies & fruit. Trying to totally cut out processed foods & the taboo white stuff (sugar & flour)!
I really want a countdown clock on my blog THAT WORKS! John, where are you?
shine on!

Curly Hair Bike Girls

2010-01-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Guess I can't call it that anymore because Mary Rose does not have curls....Lynell couldn't ride today- rode almost 25 with Rachel & Mary Rose. It was fun but a little cool & drizzly. Rest day tomorrow...although I thought about sneaking in a run :)

JL told me I was WAY dedicated when he didn't run Hill & Dale and I did....I told him my dedication is really an escape from the chaos! My house full of boys can be VERY chaotic sometimes but I wouldn't want it any other way (as long as I can escape to run, that is)
Ride on!

Conditioning

2010-01-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

Thought of the day while I was running: Life is an endurance race; run at a pace you can be proud of.

Currently training for Little Rock Half Marathon on March 7 (Holly & I have set a long term goal of running a half in EVERY state)

Strength training at gym today for an hour- Great workout even though I missed Kelly. Worked arms, back, and abs.
Ran an hour (6.25 m;9:30 pace) course near gym. Weather was amazing...if there was an ultramarathon today I could have done it (j/k)just one of those days when it felt easy. Run on!

Registration CANCUN 70.3

2010-01-20T19:37:00.000-08:00

I registered last week for my first Half-Ironman 70.3 miles (1.2 mile open water swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 run)- to make it even better it's in CANCUN! I have 8 months to train- RACE DAY: Sunday, Sept 19. I have set a goal (besides finishing injury free) of 6 hours.
Tri on!